They will exploit the 4,000 heroes

As of the most recent figures I saw today, the death toll for servicemen and woman in Iraq since 2003 stands at 3,990. That is 3,990 heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Be prepared for when that number reaches the entirely symbolic round figure of 4,000. No matter whether the pace of deaths has slowed or how much has been accomplished, be assured that the mainstream media will play it as a milestone of the long defeat of the United States, the inevitable stagnation of the most powerful military in the world in a new quagmire.

Don’t believe a word of it. It is all political theater designed to exploit those deaths for electoral and ideological gain. Instead, listen to the guys on the ground in their own words, unfiltered by the media. Michael Yon’s site is a good place to start. He’s no Pollyanna, but he’s no reflexive anti-war nut either.

But watch the media storm that will boil up. It’s coming. Mark my words.